| Title |
Įgalinimas socialiniame darbe / |
| Translation of Title |
Empowerment in the social work. |
| Authors |
Gvaldaitė, Lijana |
| DOI |
10.15388/STEPP.2009.0.5265 |
| Full Text |
|
| Is Part of |
STEPP : socialinė teorija, empirija, politika ir praktika / Vilniaus universiteto Specialiosios psichologijos laboratorija.. Vilnius : Vilniaus universiteto leidykla. 2009, nr. 5, p. 42-53.. ISSN 1648-2425 |
| Keywords [eng] |
Social work ; Empowerment ; Helping process ; Self-help groups ; Community activity |
| Abstract [eng] |
The article analyses the process of empowerment which is applied in social and community psychology as well as in practical social work, particularly on the level of community models. There is a shortage of comprehensive studies and researches about empowerment in Lithuania. The article presents the theoretical concept of empowerment and, based on analysis of practical cases and interview, reveals its practical manifestation in individual and community support models. Research methods: comparative analysis of scientific literature, case study, interview with leaders of family self-help groups (experts) and participants of Lithuania and Lombard region, Italy. Empowerment is described as an ability to "take life in one's hands", to put an effort to change it, to take an active position towards the reality. F. Folgheraiter emphasizes the dimension of the relationship between the one who empowers and the one who is empowered, - in that sense empowerment is like a strategy of intervention where an important part is attributed to the ability of doing together with the person who needs help in such a way that his/her believes and competences would not be harmed. The article discusses examples of cases where empowerment has been applied in the process of individual work with a client and self-help groups that are considered as community-help methods. The analysis of individual cases and interview with self-help groups has revealed that empowerment can be an effective strategy of social support which helps to assess inner and outer resources of a client and to involve him/her into the helping process. Self-help groups can be understood either as the process of empowering or as the result (empowered); they seek welfare of the involved persons and their participation in larger social processes. There fore empowerment in these groups manifests itself both on individual and community levels. |
| Published |
Vilnius : Vilniaus universiteto leidykla |
| Type |
Journal article |
| Language |
Lithuanian |
| Publication date |
2009 |
| CC license |
|
